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Hints Winter 2017

Landscape and Ornamentals ______

Time to Louisiana Super The cool season, from November to February, is the ideal time to plant hardy and . Some of the most outstanding trees and shrubs to plant now are Louisiana Super Plants selections. The Louisiana Super Plants program is an educational and marketing campaign of the LSU AgCenter that highlights tough and beautiful plants that perform well in Louisiana . Louisiana Super Plants selections have a proven track record. These plants have gone through years of university evalu- ations and observations or have a long history of thriving in Louisiana landscapes. Louisiana Super Plants are “university tested, and industry approved.”

Drift Roses Among the most outstanding of the roses released in the past few years, Drift roses (Rosa Drift series) are an excellent choice where smaller growing roses are desired. They grow only about 2-3 feet tall with a spread of about 3 feet or more. Plant Drift roses in well- prepared, sunny beds that have good drainage. Conversation Piece Azalea These summer flowering shrubs produce flushes of from This azalea belongs to the Robin April to December and come in a Hill group and is known for its large variety of attractive colors. The low, flowers in various colors – white, spreading growth is suitable Penny Mac Hydrangea dark pink and variegated with for use as a ground cover and plant- Lots of hydrangea are both colors – on the same plant. ing in flowerbeds or containers. In Flowering occurs in mid-spring and available these days, but Penny flowerbeds, these tough, drought- Mac (Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Penny again in the fall. An evergreen tolerant and disease-resistant that grows 3-5 feet tall and wide, Mac’) is one of the best. This - shrubs are a lower maintenance ing, shrub grows 4-6 feet Conversation Piece azaleas (Rho- alternative to bedding plants. dodendron ‘Conversation Piece’) tall and about 3-4 feet wide. Plant will thrive in well-prepared beds Belinda’s Dream is another hydrangeas in an eastern exposure that receive part shade. Use this outstanding rose that is where they get morning sun and low-growing, mounding shrub to a Louisiana Super Plants selection. shade the rest of the day or in a provide color in beds and founda- It produces beautiful, double-pink location that receives lots of bright, tion plantings. flowers on a vigorous, disease- dappled light. resistant shrub. The main display of large, round flower heads show up in May and

1 Winter 2016-2017 LSU AgCenter Horticulture Hints are attractive into June – sporadic flowers appear in late summer. The flowers may be pink or light blue depending on the pH of the . Aphrodite Althea The Aphrodite althea (Hibiscus syriacus ‘Aphrodite’) is an excellent of the old-fashioned rose of Sharon or althea. Plants grow 8-10 feet tall and bloom from late spring through the summer. Aphrodite produces very large rosy-pink, single, ruffled flowers with magenta throats that are sterile and do not set . Shishi Gashira Camellia Shishi Gashira camellias (Camellia hiemalis ‘Shishi Gashira’) are reliable evergreen shrubs that have a long, fall-blooming season. This compact shrub slowly grows 4-5 feet tall and wide and should be planted in locations that receive full sun to part shade. The double, dark pink flowers begin to appear in Octo- ber and continue until mid-January. The shrubs produce a large number of flowers and put on an excellent fall display. Shishi Gashira camellias may be used as specimen plants, massed in beds or planted in containers. Bees love the flow- ers. Shoal Creek Vitex Among the toughest small trees for our landscapes, vitex (Vitex agnus-castus) is easy to grow. Shoal Creek is an especially nice cultivar with large flower spikes that are deep, lavender blue produced in summer. But, all cultivars of vitex are worth planting in the landscape. Vitex trees flower best in full sun, but the trees will also More Louisiana Super Plants do well with some shade. At maturity they are about 10-15 feet tall and wide, and are grown as large shrubs or small This is also a great time to plant cool-season trees depending on how they are trained. Blooms occur bedding plants that will keep our flowerbeds and in May to June and again in August. These trees are very landscapes colorful from fall to spring. These plants drought-tolerant and attractive to bees, hummingbirds and love the chilly weather and easily tolerate the freezes butterflies. that occur over the winter. Look for Louisiana Super Plants cool-season bedding plants at your local nurs- Evergreen Sweetbay eries. These bedding plants are selected by the LSU AgCenter for their outstanding performance around One of our most beautiful native trees, the evergreen the state. sweet bay magnolia ( var. australis) is a great choice for landscape planting. It grows well in full Excellent cool-season bedding plant selections sun, but will tolerate some light shade. Trees generally grow that can be planted in December, January and about 30 feet tall, but may grow taller. February include: Amazon dianthus (Neon Cherry, Neon Purple and Rose Magic); Amazon; Camelot The creamy white 2- to 4-inch flowers look like typi- foxgloves (lavender, cal magnolia flowers and are richly fragrant. They appear white, cream and in May and continue sporadically through the summer. rose); Sorbet violas in The backs of the are silver and are beautiful when many colors; Red- breezes cause them to ripple silver and green. bor kale with frilly purple leaves; Swan Willow Oak columbines in many The native willow oak () is a great choice beautiful colors; the when a large shade is desired. Mature trees reach exquisitely blue- about 80 feet tall and 50 feet wide. The growth rate is flowered Diamonds moderate and the trees produce an upright, oval canopy Blue delphinium; that fits urban lots better than the spreading growth habit the long-blooming of live oaks. Willow oaks are deciduous, but the narrow Mesa gaillardia that leaves are not as messy as many shade trees. The small will bloom from early acorns these trees produce are good food for wildlife, such spring until late sum- as squirrels and birds. mer; and Homestead Purple verbena.

2 Winter 2016-2017 LSU AgCenter Horticulture Hints shredders are also available online from many companies that sell gardening Winter Work equipment. As you build up your pile, sprinkle some that contains Winter is not necessarily a time nitrogen over each 1-foot layer of leaves to encourage decomposition. And of rest for Louisiana . don’t forget to keep the pile moist (but not wet). Pine does not com- While northern gardeners retreat post as quickly as other leaves and should be handled separately. (It’s best from an onslaught of snow, ice applied to beds as mulch.) Apply it now or stockpile it in plastic bags to use and frozen ground, we enjoy long later. stretches of mild weather punctu- ated occasionally by relatively short episodes of cold. This allows us to stay active in our through Keep Up With Weeding the winter season. will continue to grow through the cool season. Do not let these unwanted bullies take over your flowerbeds. Your best defense is to keep Protect Tropicals the soil surface of beds covered with 2-3 inches of We know it will get cold enough mulch. again this winter at some point Oxalis, a clover look-alike, is one of the worst. protect our tropical landscape For physical control you must remove not just the plants. Decide which plants you will foliage, but also the carrot-like or at- choose to protect and which plants tached to the leaves. Dig them out with a trowel. will be left to fend for themselves. An alternative is to use a systemic such Make sure you have enough materi- as (Roundup and other named brands). als on hand to protect those plants Apply only the spray to the foliage of the oxalis, and do not allow it to get on that you will cover. the leaves of any desirable plants nearby. It will take several applications to be effective. Re-treat when it makes a comeback.

It’s Ideal Planting Time Fennel Hardy trees, shrubs, ground covers and may be planted from De- cember to February – this is actually the ideal planting season. You also may plant cool-season bedding plants to provide color in the landscape through April or May. Don’t forget to keep your vegetable productive. Lots of hardy cool-season vegetables may be planted using transplants from your local nursery, or by direct seeding (root , such as carrots, radishes and Store Seeds turnips are always direct-seeded). If you harvested any seeds from your garden to plant next season, or have some packets of seeds left over, place them in a plastic or glass container with a tight-fitting lid, and store them in your refrigerator to keep them viable. Make sure you label the seeds with the kind they are and their date of harvest or purchase. Try to use within a year of harvesting or purchasing them.

Recycle Leaves Don’t you dare bag up and throw away all of those valu- able leaves. Add them to your compost piles or use them to mulch shrub and flowerbeds. Shred the leaves by running over them with a mower (bag attached) and they will decompose faster. Commercial

3 Winter 2016-2017 LSU AgCenter Horticulture Hints Don’t Encourage Termites

Although fall is an excellent time for adding hardy trees, shrubs and ground covers to the landscape, it is also a time to be cautious about creating problems that could invite termites into your home. This is especially true when creating and planting beds around the foundation of the house. LSU AgCen- ter experts suggest the following to reduce the possibility of termite problems: • Place gutters, and slope your landscape beds so water drains away from your house. • Keep mulch in beds adjacent to the house pulled back about 12 inches from the foundation. • Do not add fill dirt around the foundation or under porches or steps without contacting your termite company for re- treatment. • Do not disturb the chemical barrier at the base of the slab or around pilings by digging into it during bed preparation. • Promptly remove all scrap and wooden debris from the landscape. • Pine straw appears to be the mulch that is least attractive to termites. Avoid using wood chips to mulch beds adjacent to the house or other structures. • Use metal edging, decorative bricks or border plants to edge your beds. Avoid landscape timbers, railroad ties or other wooden materials that may serve as food for termites. • When watering, avoid spraying water against the foundation of your house. • Leave at least 2 inches of space between your house and a deck or other wooden structure outside. Build decks and other structures on concrete pads and treat around the pads and posts. • Do not allow clinging vines, such as English ivy or creeping fig, to grow on the wall of your house.

4 Winter 2016-2017 LSU AgCenter Horticulture Hints Growing Amaryllis Bulbs Few flowering bulbs can surpass the stately beauty of the amaryllis. Blooming typically in April, this popular is a star performer in the spring garden. Dormant bulbs are available now, and, with proper care, they can become a long-lasting part of your landscape. Dormant bulbs that you purchase now, however, must be handled carefully this winter. When they are dried off and forced into dormancy for shipping purposes, the bulbs are triggered to bloom during the winter rather than the spring. If you plant recently purchased bulbs into the garden, they will send up their flower stalks this winter when they are likely to be damaged by cold. Instead, plant them into pots using a well-drained potting soil with the neck of the bulb above the soil surface. You also can buy bulbs pre-planted. Place the pot in a sunny window (the more sun the better), and keep the soil evenly moist. When the flower stalk begins to emerge, rotate the pot one-half turn every few days so it will grow straight. If you provide your amaryllis with too-little light, the flower stalk will grow excessively tall and may even fall over. Flowering generally occurs in December or early January from bulbs planted in November. Some large bulbs will produce two flower stalks. After the flowers have faded, cut the stalk at the point where it emerges from the bulb, but do not cut any foliage. Keep the plant inside, and continue to provide plenty of light or the leaves will be weak. Water your amaryllis regularly when the soil begins to feel dry, but it is not really necessary to fertilize them during this time. In April, it’s time to plant your bulbs in the garden. Choose a well-prepared spot that receives sun for four to six hours. Amaryllis planted in the garden this spring will get into their natural cycle and bloom in April the following years.

5 Winter 2016-2017 LSU AgCenter Horticulture Hints important. So I would encourage you to put aside what What’s in a Name? I call your “nomenclaturephobia” and try to use Latin names more often in your gardening efforts. For that, it In what is probably one of the most quoted lines helps to understand a little bit about Latin names. from Shakespeare’s play, “Romeo and Juliette,” Juliette says, “What’s in a name? A rose by any other name would Binomial is the scientific system smell as sweet.” The point being, what something is does developed by Carl von Linne (Linnaeus) in the 1700s not change based on what we call it. But in gardening, that gives a two-part name to each plant or animal. The knowing the proper names of plants is important. first name, the genus, is followed by a descriptive name, the species. The genus and species together the Plants are known by both common and Latin names. scientific or Latin name of a plant. Knowing the proper common or Latin name is the key to finding information about a plant. A professional can’t The genus is a group of closely related plants that do much to provide care information if a does have many shared characteristics, such as Quercus – the not know the proper name of the plant. If you want to oaks; Ulmus – the elms; and Lilium – the lilies. The genus look up information about a new plant in a reference actually can stand alone. When you see the word Quer- book or on the internet, cus, you know it refers to oaks. you have to have the right A genus is subdivided into name for the plant to do species. When a species name that. Knowing the right is added to Quercus, you have name also is important in the name of a particular type finding and purchasing a of oak, such as Quercus virgin- particular plant you want. iana, the live oak, or Quercus Common names are shumardii, the Shumard oak. easier to pronounce and The species name must be remember, and most paired with a genus to mean gardeners get by using anything. It is meaningless by them exclusively. But itself. they definitely have their Since they are in a for- limits. Latin names are the eign language, Latin names most reliable names to generally are italicized or know and use. Unfortu- underlined in text. Pronuncia- nately, people generally tion often is a challenge, but don’t like Latin names. Quercus virginia you should just do your best. Everyone is intimidated And you don’t have to know by those long, unpronounceable strings of letters that how to pronounce a Latin make up the Latin names of some plants. name to recognize it or write it, so it’s not an insur- Why, you might ask, deal with these unfamiliar and mountable obstacle. These days, there are even websites foreign words? Although common names are useful, and magazines that provide helpful pronunciation they change from region to region – and around the guides. world – for the same plant. Several different common So, although you may hate them, scientific names names can apply to the same plant, or one common often are critical to properly identifying plants. And name can apply to several different plants. You can see whenever you are asking questions, doing research how easily confusion can creep into this situation. Each or looking to buy a particular plant, there are many plant, however, has only one official Latin name, and it is instances where having the Latin name will make your used worldwide. efforts more successful. In the age of international internet communication about plants, Latin names are becoming increasingly

6 Winter 2016-2017 LSU AgCenter Horticulture Hints Checklist forFALL December/January/FebruarySPRINGFALL SPRINGFALL SPRING

SUMMER WINTERSUMMER WINTERSUMMER WINTER 1. Most spring-flowering bulbs can be planted through early December. and hyacinths must be refrigerated for six to eight weeks before planting in late December or early January.

2. Remove old flowers from your cool-season bedding plants to extend blooming and improve flower performance.

3. Plant gladiolus in late February in south Louisiana. Prolong the blooming season by planting at two- to three-week intervals for a couple of months.

4. Mulch shrubs and flowerbeds to get plants off to a good spring start and minimize problems.

5. Watch azaleas in February for lace bugs. They cause the foliage to have numerous small, white spots and feed underneath lower foliage. Control with horticultural oil sprays or Orthene.

6. A late-winter planting of petunias will provide a good flower show for early spring. Consider the new Wave series.

7. Winter is a great time for planting trees. Some excellent native species for Louisiana include nuttall oak, southern red oak, willow oak, red maple, southern maple, southern magnolia, bald cypress and mayhaw. Louisiana Super Plants selections include evergreen sweetbay magnolia, willow oak, vitex and southern sugar maple.

8. February is the ideal time to fertilize trees.

9. January and February are good months to prune landscape trees and any deciduous and evergreen plants that don’t flower in the spring.

10. Clean and sharpen tools before you put them away. Wipe the metal blades with an oily cloth that coats them with a thin layer of protective oil to help prevent corrosion. Coat wooden handles with protectants such as a sealer, tung oil or varnish.

11. February is a good time to plant container or bare-root roses. Bare-root rose bushes should be planted by the end of February. Early planting allows rose bushes to become established in their new locations before they begin to bloom. This increases the number and quality of flowers, and the bush is more prepared to deal with summer heat when it arrives in May. Plant roses in sunny, well-prepared beds that have excellent drainage

12. Look for Louisiana Super Plants at your local nurseries. Louisiana Super Plants are selected for their outstanding performance around the state and are “university tested, and industry approved.” Cool-season bedding plant Super Plants that can be planted now include Homestead Purple verbena, Swan columbines, Redbor kale, Camelot foxgloves, Amazon dianthus, Sorbet violas and Mesa gaillardia. Hardy shrub Louisiana Super Plants selections that can be planted now include Belinda’s Dream rose, Drift roses, Shishi Gashira camellia, Conversation Piece azalea and Leslie Ann sasanqua.

13. Prune everblooming roses in late January or early February. Landscape roses, like the popular Knock Out roses, should be cut back by about one-half their height (do not cut back lower than 2 feet from the ground). Fertilize rose bushes in mid- to late March.

14. Trim back dormant ornamental grasses in late February. It is important to remove the brown leaves before the new growth emerges and mixes with the dead growth. Electric hedge trimmers are a good tool to use for this job. Dan Gill Consumer Horticulture Specialist

7 Winter 2016-2017 LSU AgCenter Horticulture Hints Vegetable Gardening ______

Monthly Garden Tips December • Build rows in gardens, and turn over soil in raised beds now, while the weather is drier. The early spring season can be quite wet. LouEASYana Early winter preparation makes spring vegetable gardening a GARDENING breeze. Yummy to You, Me and the Bees!

Gardeners generally grow edible crops they love to eat or that they know family and friends love to eat; however, have you ever considered planting an edible for your hardworking bees? Bees and other are an integral part of gardening. We need them to ensure adequate yields of cucumbers, cantaloupe, watermelon, squash, zucchini and more spring crops. So, start attracting them to the garden early! From mid-January to the first of March, plant broccoli transplants. Provide the transplants with plenty of water and fertilizer to get them started. Fertilizer is key to success here. We must grow nice, robust plants to ensure they produce the florets. Aged manures, compost, organic and synthetic are all sufficient as preplant fertilizers. These should be applied between one and three weeks prior to planting your broccoli transplants. Approximately two to three weeks after you transplant, add some additional fertilizer as a sidedress application. In other words, apply it to the side of the plant, 6-8 inches away from the base. I generally like to apply liquid fertilizers that have 15 percent nitrogen for the sidedress application. Avoid manures for sidedress applications of fertilizer, especially those that have not been aged. This precaution is simply to avoid increasing your chance of foodborne illnesses. • Plant onion and shallot sets. Keep the broccoli watered but not saturated, and enjoy watching Choose sets that are thin, the it grow. As the main head forms, harvest it for yourself to eat. The day size of a pencil or thinner. Thicker you harvest the main head, apply one more application of fertilizer as a plants tend to bolt in cold weather sidedress, and continue to let the plants go. As the side develop, and set seed rather than form a do not harvest them. Allow them to open up into tons of beautiful tiny bulb. yellow flowers. Once they’ve started to open, you’ll find the bees have arrived and are enjoying their sweet . This will start to attract • Scout for insects. Aphids and pollinators to your yard worms are the biggest culprits in just in time for south the vegetable garden in winter. Louisiana gardeners to Use insecticides only when you see begin planting cucur- the insect, not as a preventative. bits in mid-March and Insecticides such as horticulture north Louisiana garden- oil, insecticidal soap and Bifenthrin ers to begin planting products (Ortho Bug-B-Gon Max) cucurbits April 1. Keep work great for aphid control. the broccoli plants in Insecticides that kill worms and the garden until the loopers include Sevin, Bt (Dipel) yellow flowers form and Spinosad. tiny seedpods that look • Order spring vegetable seed very similar to miniature now if you want first pick of the green beans. Then great varieties. Wait too long and discard and make room it will be too late to start your for more spring plants. transplants.

8 Winter 2016-2017 LSU AgCenter Horticulture Hints January • Onions can be planted from mid-December to early January. In early January, continue to plant Perk Up onions sets. Your Winter • Mid- to late January, transplant broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Garden With lettuce. • Mid- to late January, seed Irish Pansies potatoes into the garden. Cut the potatoes a few days before Pansies are a good planting. choice for winter gardens, • Vegetable growers in south and the best time to Louisiana should start their plant them is in the fall. , eggplant and pepper They are winter annuals, meaning they will bloom all through the transplants mid-January. North winter months and begin to die back when the weather becomes hot. Louisiana vegetable growers Pansies are relatively small, usually spreading 6-8 inches tall and wide. should wait until the end of The flowers are rounded with five , and they come in a variety January or the beginning of of colors. Pansies are great for adding a pop of color to your garden. February. It takes between 8 and 10 weeks to germinate and grow Pansies can tolerate cold temperatures, even down to freezing. Be into a decent size seedling for careful not to plant below the base of the stem, because this can the garden. Keep seedlings in a cause crown rot. warm and BRIGHT area. One week Pick a planting location that has well-drained soil and full sun. prior to trasnplanting, move the When shopping for pansies, choose plants with green leaves and seedlings outside to harden off. plenty of unopened flower . Plant them 6-8 inches apart, then water thoroughly with a water-soluble, liquid fertilizer around base of plant. Fertilize monthly. When flowers fade, clip the withered blossom and stem off at the base of the plant. This is called dead-heading and will encourage the plant to flower. Pansies can be planted along the edge of a flower bed as a border or planted in large masses for a big impact. They are great in contain- ers, window boxes, tubs or hanging baskets. Plant one color for a bigger impact or plant mixed colors for a rainbow effect. Pansies are generally pest-free but you may have to spot treat for snails or slugs. Pansies do not tolerate heat well so when temperatures rise, remove them to make room for summer annuals.

Mary Sexton, M.S. Extension Associate February • Continue to transplant broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and lettuce transplants into the garden. Successive planting (a portion of Winter Turfgrass Management ______a row or a new row) every two weeks ensures a steady harvest. Bleak Time for Turfgrasses Begins in December • Direct-seed beets, turnips, December begins a bleak time for warm-season turfgrasses. Most mustard, parsley, radishes, lettuce, should be dormant or at least close to this stage by Christmas. Because lawns snap beans and Irish potatoes. are not actively growing, fertilizer applications are not needed during the • Leave space for spring crops, winter. Actually, you should have stopped nitrogen fertilization on home which will go into the garden in lawns by late summer (late August for St. Augustinegrass and centipede- March and April! grass). Nitrogen fertilizer on dormant to semi-dormant St. Augustinegrass, centipedegrass and zoysiagrass lawns can lead to increased brown patch and Dr. Kathryn Fontenot, winter kill. Also, nitrogen applications during this time have a greater poten- Vegetable Crops tial for leaching or movement into nontarget areas.

9 Winter 2016-2017 LSU AgCenter Horticulture Hints Soil Sampling and Winter Weed Management Liming Broadleaf weeds such as clover and burweed Winter is an excellent (sticker weed) and annual bluegrass infesting St. Au- time to collect soil sam- gustinegrass, centipedegrass and zoysiagrass, as well as ples and submit them dormant bermudagrass, can be managed with applica- for analysis. Samples tions of atrazine herbicide applied in February and 4" March. These are good months to spray winter weeds should be a composite of 6" soil collected from 3 to since they are still actively growing and not producing 4 inches deep at various seed. Also, containing three-way mixtures places around the lawn. of 2,4-D, plus dicamba, plus mecoprop (trimec) can be Mix well, reduce the sample to about a pint of soil and used for winter broadleaf control with less turf injury take it to the LSU AgCenter Extension Service office in potential in all southern turfgrasses this time of the year. your parish or to a participating garden center. Make Weed-and-feed products can be substituted as your first sure to specify the type of grass you are growing on the application of fertilizer during the early spring. form. Soil samples submitted to the LSU AgCenter result in a wealth of information concerning the overall fertility of When to Fertilize Lawns your soil. If results of the soil test indicate the soil pH is Lawns may show signs of green-up in southern too acidic, lime will be prescribed in the soil test recom- Louisiana in late February. Do not push turfgrass growth mendations. Sulfur may be prescribed for that are with fertilizer at that time. Fertilizer applied too early too alkaline. Winter is the best time to apply lime or will feed winter weeds and will result in lush turfgrass sulfur so that it can be activated by the growing season growth that is more susceptible to injury from late frosts next spring and summer. The correct soil pH is extremely and increased levels of brown patch disease. Lawns important and has everything to do with nutrient avail- may be fertilized in the New Orleans area by late March, ability to your lawn’s and to fertilizer performance. but delay fertilizing areas north of Baton Rouge until early April. Consider fertilizing lawns in north Louisiana around mid-April. Turf Establishment Postpone any permanent warm-season turfgrass Ron Strahan seeding until next spring. Soil and air temperatures will Turfgrass Science be too cold for and growth. Sod, such as St. Augustinegrass and centipedegrass can be laid during winter and established successfully during the spring. But remember to maintain good moisture to prevent the sod from dying. Establishment ______of sod is easiest, however, when sodding is delayed until the middle of spring, well after spring green-up. Gardeners Can Brown Patch Disease Help Feed Their Brown patch disease can come and go through the winter if the weather is mild. Treatment with Communities containing myclobutanil, propiconazole, pyraclostrobin, Home and vegetable thiophanate-methyl and triticonazole and azoxystrobin gardeners can help solve two will reduce the spread of brown patch. Damage from problems: (1) Food is wasted brown patch will slow spring green-up, and affected because gardeners harvest areas will remain unsightly until warmer spring weather more than they can use – it conditions help with turfgrass recovery. could feed 28 million people; (2) Food pantries nation- wide desperately need that fresh food – they feed 50 million people. One solution is AmpleHarvest.org, which helps 42 million home and community gardeners end food waste and hunger by educating and enabling them to donate their excess garden produce to one of nearly 8,000 nearby food pantries across America. What they do is enable you to help eliminate food waste, hunger and malnutrition in your own community. When you donate garden produce that you can’t use, preserve or share with friends, you are ending the waste of healthy fresh food – the very food that is so desperately needed by food pantries nourishing hungry families in your com- munity.

10 Winter 2016-2017 LSU AgCenter Horticulture Hints The essence of the AmpleHarvest.org “No Food Left nizations that are creating a better food system. The Behind” educational campaign is simple: backyard grow- organizations in this year’s Guide are effecting change in ers should enable nearby food pantries or food banks to kitchens, schools, churches, labs, businesses, community provide nutritious produce to the nation’s hungry, rather centers, governments, urban , fields, food banks than throwing the “surplus” away or letting it rot. and more. Thousands of food pantries across all 50 states are Since the inaugural Good Food Org Guide was registered to receive a sustainable and recurring sup- released in 2014, it has highlighted groups that: combat ply of freshly harvested, locally grown food from area childhood obesity, malnourishment and physical inactiv- growers – absolutely free! As a result, millions of pantry ity; prevent food waste; educate consumers on healthy, clients can feed their families fresh food instead of prod- nutritious food choices; create networks of social entre- ucts packaged with added salt, sugar and corn syrup, preneurs; protect food and restaurant workers; highlight solutions for restoring the health of people and the thereby reducing the likelihood of diet-related illness planet; work with indigenous communities to preserve such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. traditions, culture and biodiversity; inspire and educate Children are at a greater risk of obesity than ever individuals to cook more of their own food; and protect before, so exposing them to fresh produce pays healthy public health, human health and the environment. dividends. Many learn for the first time that apples do This year’s Guide includes an online search tool. not come pre-sliced in cellophane, peas come in pods The website enables users to search for organizations and not cans, and carrots are a sweet and crunchy snack. by the region and category of the organization’s work. Better yet, families are introduced to new varieties of Each organization highlighted in the Guide has its own food previously unavailable to them. profile page, which includes its contact information, The carbon footprint of the food pantries is greatly description, logo, social media links, location, photos diminished as locally sourced food – without packag- and related organizations. I found 12 websites listed for ing or cans trucked across the country that need to be Louisiana. Most of the groups were in the New Orleans disposed of – is delivered to hungry people within that area, but you may wish to start a similar outreach in community. your community, and these organizations could provide useful advice. The AmpleHarvest.org mission is to make food pantries easier to find and thus better equipped to receive bigger and better donations of fresh produce. Plant a Row for the Hungry Using web-based platforms and media, they are striv- ing to connect 40,000,000 backyard growers to 33,500 food pantries across the country, thereby facilitating the The Association for Garden Communicators has an delivery of fresh, surplus produce to 50,000,000 hungry excellent program called “Plant a Row for the Hungry.” Garden writers are asked to encourage their readers/ and/or malnourished Americans. listeners to plant an extra row of produce each year and To find one near you, simply enter your ZIP code, donate their surplus to local food banks, soup kitchens and click on a pantry to learn more about their mission, and service organizations to help feed America’s hungry. hours of operation and when and how much fresh Since 1995, over 20 million pounds of produce providing produce they can receive. Give them a call and make a over 80 million meals have been donated by American new friend! Most pantries will enthusiastically answer gardeners. All of this has been achieved without govern- any and all questions—especially those pertaining to ment subsidy or bureaucratic red tape – just people donations. http://ampleharvest.org/. helping people. Over 84 million U.S. households have a yard or garden. If every gardener plants one extra row of veg- Good Food Org Guide etables and donates their surplus to local food agencies and soup kitchens, a significant impact can be made on Food Tank and the James Beard Foundation have reducing hunger. “Plant a Row for the Hungry” provides recenlty released the third annual Good Food Org Guide, focus, direction and support to committees which features 1,000 nonprofit organizations creating a that promote herb, vegetable and community garden- better food system across the United States. Check out ing at the local level. They then provide training and the website at http://foodtank.com/news/2016/10/ direction to enable the committee to reach out into the-third-annual-good-food-org-guide-is-here. the community. Finally, they assist in coordinating the local food collection systems and monitor the volume of With the help of an advisory board of food system donations being conveyed to food agencies. Check out experts, Food Tank and the James Beard Foundation their website if you would like to get involved at https:// created this definitive guide to feature nonprofit orga- gardenwriters.org/Plant-a-Row.

11 Winter 2016-2017 LSU AgCenter Horticulture Hints 12 Winter 2016-2017 LSU AgCenter Horticulture Hints School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Sciences Horticulture Division 155 J. C. Miller Hall - LSU 110 LSU Union Square Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803

Horticulture Hints Winter 2017

Prepared quarterly by: Visit our LSU AgCenter Store www.LSUAgCenter.com/OnlineStore Kathryn Fontenot, Ph.D., Community/School Vegetable Gardens Dan Gill, Consumer Horticulture David Himelrick, Ph.D., Fruits Ron Strahan, Ph.D., Lawns

Parish agents, please adapt these suggestions to your area before disseminating.

School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Sciences 155 J. C. Miller Hall - LSU, 110 LSU Union Square, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803 (225)578-4070; Fax: (225)578-1068 The LSU AgCenter and LSU provide equal opportunities in programs and employment.

13 Winter 2016-2017 LSU AgCenter Horticulture Hints